Splice attachment.



D. AMBROSE;

SPLICE ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APILZQ, 1910.

Patented Nov.8, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1;

scu,,.wiuumarau n c Jam's find/v50 D. AMBROSE.

SPLICE ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 29., 1910.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Davis flmmw UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

DAVIS AMBROSE, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

SPLICE ATTACHMENT.

To all whom it may concern:

citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county ofJefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Splice Attachpnents, of which the following is aspecificae ion.

This invention relates to improvements in' rail joints, and the objectof the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and thoroughlyeffective reinforcement'for' the fish plates connecting the contiguousends of a pair of rails, one which maybe easily and quickly applied ordetached and which entirely dispenses with the use of bolts or analogous securing devices.

With the above, and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription progresses, the invention resides in the novel constructionand combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings there has been illustrated a simple andpreferred embodiment of the improvement, and in which drawings, 1

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device constructed in accordance withthe present invention, showing the same in applied potional view of thesame. Fig. 3 is a section upon the line 3-3 of Fig. l. .Fi 4 is asimilar view upon the line 44: 0 Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the sections of the improvement.Fig. 6 is a similar view of the opposite section. Fig. 7 is aperspective view of the wedge member. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of thepintle connecting the sections.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 1 designates the meeting endsof a pair of rails. These rails are constructed in the ordinary mannerand are connected through the medium of the usual fish plates,designated by the numerals 2 and 3. These fish plates, as shown, eachcomprises an overlying flange 3 which is adapted to be positioned uponthe upper faces of the base flanges of the rails 1 and integrally formedvertical longitudinally extending portions which are adapted to engagethe webs of the rails and to have their upper edges contact beneath theballs or heads of the rails. The fish plates 2 and 3 are connected withthe rails through the medium of the usual bolts, and positioned forrotation upon the end Specification of Letters Patent. --Patented N 8,1910,

Application filed April 29, 1910.

Serial No. 558,330.

iconnecting bolts are oppositely inclined Be it'known that I, DAVISAMBROSE, a

clamping members 41 the purpose of which will presently be described.

The numeral 5 designates the reinforcing member.. This reinforcingmember 5 comprises a pair of sections 6 and .7, and both of the sectionshave their upperedges provided with a longitudinally extending bead oroffset 8 which is adapted to contact with the overlying flanges of thefish plates 2 and 3. The sections 6 and 7 havetheirlower-extremitiesprovided with inwardly projecting members or leaves 9 which are of alength corresponding with the width of the base flanges of the rails.The leavesare spaced apart, so that the leaves of one of the membersengage between the leaves of the oppo site member and all of the leavesare provided with a'lining openings which are adapted for the receptionof a pintle ,10. It will benoted by reference to the several figures ofthe drawing that the tops of the said leaves are inclined from one ofthe ends of the. support to the opposite end of the sections thereof,and it will be further noted that each of the leaves is depressed fromits center toward themembers 6 and 7, thus providing what'may be termeda plurality of teeth or engagingmembers. The pintle 10 has one of itsends bent as at 11, and its opposite extremity is provided with aplurality of perforations 12. These perforations are adapted for thereception of a cotter pin 13 which is adapted to engage with the washer14 and positioned upon the pintle between this washer and the end leafof one of the sections is a helical spring 15.

hen it is desired to position the device upon the rails, it is merelynecessary to open the sections upon the pintle 10 and to position thedevice so that its longitudinally extending beads will engage with theflanges of the rails or the flanges of the fish plates and to swing thesame in position thereon. IVhen this is accomplished a beveled wedge 16is inserted between the tops of the leaves of the hinged sections andthe rail bases and tightly engages the tops thereof. The cotter pin maybe removed so as to allow free sliding of the pintle 10, and when thewedge is in proper position, the bent portion 11 of the said pintle isswung into engagement with a depression 17 formed in the enlarged end ofthe wedge. When this is accomplished the spring is compressed and thecotter pin inserted within the proper opening in the pintle to retainthe device in its set-up position. The clamping members 4 are then swunginto position adjacent the ends of the sections and the sharpened edgesof the oppositely disposed faces of the fingers 9 contacting the underface of the wedge effectively revents the movement thereof in eitherdirection, thus effectively locking the member 5 against longitudinalmovement.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings it will be noted that I have provided an extremely simple andthoroughly effective device for the purpose intended, and while I haveillustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the improvement,as it now appears to me, minor details of construction, within the scopeof the following claims may be resorted to if desired.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new is 1. Ina device for the purpose set forth, a pair of hinge members havinglongitudinally extending lips, a wedge for the said members, a pintlefor the members being provided with a bent portion engaging the end ofthe wedge, and resilient means for retaining the bent portion inengagement with the edges andfor preventing the opening of the hingemembers.

2. In combination with the meeting ends of a pair of rails, splice barsfor the rails, said splice bars being provided with pivoted clampingmembers, a support for the rails, and fish plates, said supportcomprising a pair of members, each of said members having its upper edgeprovided with a longitudinally extending bead, the said members beingfurther provided with s aced inturned leaves, the leaves of one o themembers adapted to alternate with the leaves of the second members, thecentral portions of said leaves being provided with alining openings, alongitudinally extending pintle for the openings, a Wedge between theleaves and the base flanges of the rails, said wedge member having itsenlarged end provided with a depression, the pintle having one of itsends bent and adapted to engage the depression, and resilient means forretaining the pintle into engagement with the wedge.

3. In combination with the meeting ends of a pair of rails and fishplates therefor, of a reinforcing device, said reinforcing devicecomprising a pair of sections, each of said sections having its upperedge provided with a longitudinally extending bead, the lower portionsof the sections being provided wit-h inturned spaced leaves, the upperfaces of each of the leaves being depressed from its center toward theinner face of the section, the leaves being each centrally provided withalining openings, the tops of the said leaves being inclined from one ofthe ends of the sections to the opposite end thereof, a pintle engagingthe openings of the leaves, said pintle having one of its ends bent andits opposite straight end provided with a plurality of openings, a wedgemember having its enlarged end provided with a depression adapted toengage the bent end of the pintle, a helical spring upon the oppositeend of the pintle, and a washer also upon the pintle and engaging thespring, and a removable element for one of the openings of the pintle. I

.In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVIS AMBROSE.

